IELTS Writing Task 2 essay with model answer

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic

The advantage provided by English as a "global language" will continue to outweigh the disadvantages. To what extent do you agree with the statement?

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

Language is a characteristic feature of the human species which form the foundation of a society. In today's world, English has undoubtedly emerged as a lingua franca which helps to unify people from different regions of the world. I completely agree with the view that the merits of hailing English as the language of the world clearly outnumber the perils. In the course of my essay, I will try to give reasons for my belief.

It cannot be refuted that English has become a global language. Firstly, in a world with people different skin colours, cultures and ethnicities, English serves as a common trend which helps to bind the people together. One common language becomes a necessity to discuss world issues. To illustrate, all world conferences, both political and apolitical, are held in English because that's the language which most people are familiar with. All delegations of the United Nations, World Summits, and World Trade Conferences are held in English. Secondly, English is the gateway to a better quality of life. The knowledge of English enables a person to travel to any part of the globe, without difficulty, for higher studies and better work opportunities because it is the working language used at universities and multinational companies. This, in turn, helps an individual to improve his educational qualifications and economic status. To illustrate, in prestigious world-renowned universities like MIT and Cambridge, the medium of instruction is English. Lastly, English is a much better phonetic language compared to French and other languages. So, it can be learnt with relative ease. A research conducted in the high schools of China in 2016 showed that English is chosen over French by the students due to their reason.

Moreover, just as a coin has two sides, the acknowledgement of English as the sole prime language of the globe has its own demerits. Firstly, people who are not conversant in English are often considered as ignorant and demeaned by our snobbish society. The knowledge of English has become a status symbol of sorts! In fact, a recent survey conducted in Mumbai, India, showed that 30% of the incidents of bullying in schools were due to the student's inability to converse in English. This clearly speaks of a colonial hangover! Moreover, vernacular languages are losing their significance due to their prejudice. To specify, parents insist on teaching English to their children but forget to teach them their mother tongue. Often, such children are left clueless about their history and culture and suffer from identity crisis.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that the advantages of English as a global language are much more than the demerits as English has opened the doors to a brighter future and brought the world closer. It is up to the people to give equal importance to other vernacular languages so that the future generation knows about their roots.